One traditional toy that is enjoyed by not only children but also adults is a bicycle. There are a number of different types of bicycles that are designed for young children to assist them in learning how to ride a bicycle. Two of the more common bicycles are a bicycle equipped with training wheels and a bicycle equipped with a coaster type brake. Most times, a child's first true bicycle is of a coaster brake type that includes training wheels to assist the child in learning how to ride the bicycle. Training wheels, which are also known as stabilizers, are an additional wheel or wheels mounted parallel to the rear wheel of a bicycle that assists learners until they have developed a usable sense of balance of the bicycle. A coaster brake, which can also be referred to as a back pedal brake, is a type of drum brake which is integrated into hubs having an internal freewheel. Freewheeling functions as with other systems, but, when back pedaled, the bake engages after a fraction of a revolution. The bicycle is stopped by the child back pedaling, thereby causing the brake to be applied.
Even though coaster brakes can be effective in stopping the bicycle, there are a number of concerns that parents have when a child uses such beginning bicycles and in particular, when a child is first learning to ride a bicycle. First, the child may get confused or scared and simply forget how to apply the coaster brake in which case the child is essentially riding on a runaway bicycle. Second, a child may not appreciate or fail to recognize a particular hazard, such as a car approaching, and thus is unaware that the brake must be applied in order to avert such dangerous situation. Third, when going down a slight decline, the child may get scared as the bicycle picks up speed and is simply overcome with fear and unable to apply the brake in a controlled manner. Countless other hazards potentially face a child beginning to learn how to ride a bicycle.
As a result, the learning of how to ride a bicycle can be not only potential dangerous for a child but also very unnerving for the parent. There is therefore a need for a device that can allow a parent better control over a child who is learning to ride a bicycle.